VCR Buying Guide (S-VHS, D-VHS, Professional)

[lordsmurf]

By using a good VCR, you can get more quality out of those VHS tapes, before forever committing what you see to a DVD. These machines listed below all have some degree of noise reduction, or otherwise play a tape cleanly. Timebase correctors (TBCs) almost always exist in these. The most popular and well respected machines are in bold.

These are PROSUMER or PROFESSIONAL video machines, not something found at Best Buy or Walmart. In fact, you're not going to find any of these available new and in stores. The best VCRs are no longer made, thanks to VHS being a dead format. You'll have to shop for these on second-hand markets, such as eBay, Craigslist, or even this site's marketplace forum.


JVC S-VHS (NTSC)
NTSC prosumer decks. JVC's high-end decks have CALIBRATION (finds best part of tape to play) and picture mode filters (AUTO, NORM, SHARP, EDIT). The 7000-series has 2MB TBC RAM, 9000-series has 4MB and uses the Dynamic Drum system.

• JVC HR-S5000U (no TBC, older)
• JVC HR-S5800U (no TBC, older)
• JVC HR-S6800U (no TBC, older)
• JVC HR-S7500U
• JVC HR-S7600U
• JVC HR-S7800U
• JVC HR-S7900U
• JVC HR-S9500U
• JVC HR-S9600U
• JVC HR-S9800U a.k.a GoVideo SDV-650 clone
• JVC HR-S9900U
• JVC HR-S9911U

JVC S-VHS (PAL)
PAL decks, prosumer, same features as NTSC machines listed above.

• JVC SR-S388E / SR-388EK
• JVC HR-S7965EK
• JVC HR-S8965EK

JVC Professional S-VHS (NTSC)
NTSC decks, continuation of the 7000 prosumer series. Note that "Professional" is just the name of this VCR series. It's no more or less professional than the HR-S series machines.

• JVC SR-V10U / SR-V10
  
• JVC SR-V101US / SR-V101U
• JVC SR-W5U / SR-W5
• JVC SR-W7U / SR-W7

JVC Professional S-VHS (PAL)
PAL decks, same as above NTSC decks. Note that "Professional" is just the name of this VCR series. It's no more or less professional than the HR-S series machines.

• JVC SR-V10E / SR-V10
  

JVC D-VHS
These decks have a lot of the same features as the prosumer S-VHS line, but also has an added ability to cure VHS flagging, much like the Panasonic DMR-ES10 DVD recorder does on pass-through.

• HM-DH30000U
• HM-DH40000U
• JVC HM-DH5U

Mitsibishi D-VHS
These VCRs have all the TBC, DNR, Calibration, Picture Modes and 3D Y-C filters seen on the top recommended JVC S-VHS and D-VHS models.

• Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U D-VHS

Panasonic S-VHS (NTSC)
NTSC professional editing decks, with full-field (multi-line) TBCs instead of a standard line TBC. The Panasonic Picture Control slider on the 1970/1980 is a variable version of the JVC Picture Control selections (by default, it tends to already sharpen a little at the "normal" notch setting).

• Panasonic AG-7650
• Panasonic AG-1960P / AG-1960 (has no TBC)
• Panasonic AG-1970P / AG-1970
  
• Panasonic AG-1980P / AG-1980 a.k.a. Panasonic NV-FS 200 for PAL version

Panasonic S-VHS (PAL)
PAL models with TBC and DNR. Newest models at top of list.

• Panasonic NV-FS 200 a.k.a. Panasonic AG-1980P for NTSC version
• Panasonic NV-HS 950
• Panasonic NV-HS 860
• Panasonic NV-HS 930
• Panasonic NV-HS 960
• Panasonic NV-SV 121

Feel free to add to this post by replying below.
You may also reply to the mirror thread over at the videohelp.com restoration forum.

[lordsmurf]

Here's the user manual and spec sheet for the JVC SR-S388E PAL S-VHS VCR with timebase corrector, DNR and other filters.

[kpmedia]

A number of the Panasonic AG series S-VHS VCR manuals can be downloaded from http://service.us.panasonic.com/oper....aspx?model=AG

[admin]

Tips for Testing Out a Used VCR

Physical Inspection:
First, open it up. Look at it. Are the heads smooth and clean? No visible damage? Are all the internals clean and in good shape? Nothing rotted (dry rot included), broken, brittle, sludgy, etc?

Play SP Mode Tapes:
Second, play some SP mode tapes. Preferably something that can be "eaten," like a commercial VHS release. I keep old copies of tapes like Liar Liar, Batman Returns and TMNT -- something that is both easy to replace, and already exists in better quality on DVD. Does the tape play perfectly?

Play LP, EP, SLP mode tapes:
Third, try an EP mode tape. Again, preferably a commercial release. Find one of those cheapo budget releases, like public domain cartoons. I would hesitate to use personal recordings, unless it's (again) something easy to replace. I have recordings of the Dukes of Hazzard from about 1998 on VHS. I've long since bought the DVDs, don't need the tapes. These are not original recordings, so no value to commercials either. See if those tapes play rather clear and perfect. No tracking problems. (Or minimal problems, depending on crappiness of the tape.)

Test the Switches:
Next, test the switches. For example, on a Panasonic AG-1980P:

• Does the sharpen slider actually blur/sharpen?
• Does the "audio out" button put it to mono?
• Does the B&W slider dump the chroma (color)?
• Detail/nor/edit?
• TBC works?

Inputs and Outputs:
Finally, tests the inputs and outputs. Can you get signals in and out of the deck?

Remote Notes:
For a JVC model, you really need the remote. Although many models have menus that can be accessed from the front of the unit, some do not. Watch for this. The one thing NOT on a Panasonic deck itself is the counter reset. I could never do advanced editing projects, with all their timecodes, without the ability to reset the timer easily. For this, you'll need the remote. Or possibly a programmable remote.


Originally posted at: http://www.digitalFAQ.com/forum/showthread.php/advice-preserve-svhs-2254.html in response to a question.